Michael Phelps To Race Great White Shark On Discovery’s ‘Shark Week’ On July 23

Michael Phelps may have beaten nearly every other human swimmer on the planet in a race, but he has yet to prove if he is faster than a shark.

Michael Phelps will race Great White on Discovery’s ‘Shark Week’

Discovery Channel announced on Friday that the 31-year-old swimmer — a 23-time Olympic gold medallist who retired after a spectacular finish at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro — will race a great white during the network’s “Shark Week” festivities in July.

Phelps vs. Shark: Great Gold vs. Great White will air on Sunday, July 23 at 8 p.m. ET.

Here is the release Discovery sent out on Friday:

“They are one of the fastest and most efficient predators on the planet: Sharks. He is our greatest champion to ever get in the water: Michael Phelps. 39 world records. 23 Olympic golds. But he has one competition left to win. An event so monumental no one has ever attempted it before. The world’s most decorated athlete takes on the ocean’s most efficient predator: Phelps V Shark – the race is on! Produced by Peacock Productions.”

More details about the competition remain unknown. The fastest Phelps has ever swam is 6 miles per hour, which is amazing by human standards, but rather slow for a shark. A great white can reach average speeds of 25 miles per hour or higher, especially when they are pursuing prey.

Phelps posted a photo of a great white on Instagram on Saturday to express his excitement.

“I was able to do something that I had always wanted to do. Be in a cage and dive with great white sharks!! #Bucketlist,” he wrote as a caption.

The retired swimmer, who married his longtime girlfriend Nicole Johnson last fall, also posted a picture on Instagram after filming wrapped. In the photo, Phelps thanked Discovery for the experience.

“Shark Week” will officially begin an hour before Phelps’ big race, at 7 p.m. EST on July 23.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 11: Gold medalist Michael Phelps of the United States celebrates during the medal ceremony for the Men’s 200m Individual Medley Final on Day 6 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 11, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)